Both of Us
by empurple
Summary: "I love you the way the stars love the moon, because they should never be seen too far apart from each other. It's a constant love. But my love for her, is the way the oceans meet the shore. She's the other half of me." Ludwig thought he had to choose between them. But he chose both. Brotherly love and Gilicia. OC Present. More warnings inside.
1. Love in the Time of War

**A/N: **I haven't really done much research (admittedly) upon doing this fanfic, and I'm honest in saying that History _isn't_ my strongest subject. But I am doing my best to stick to facts.

**General knowledge **(To those who haven't read A Few Good Men and The Day You Said Goodnight): The head-cannon remains that Alicia Aragon is the representation of the Crown of Aragon, Spain; now known as the region, Aragon (she takes the name Alicia Fernandez-Carriedo, or Alicia Beilshmidt when she married Gilbert). However, in this fanfic, she takes the form of an ordinary human girl, who is stuck in Germany during WWII. It's a horrible time to fall in love, but fall in love she did.

**Warnings:** War, tragedy but a whole lot of love, both brotherly and romantic. Fluff and implied sexual situations, but nothing graphic will be written. Gilicia (GilbertxOC). I might even make you cry. If there is love in the time of cholera, there is also love in the time of World War II.

* * *

"Mmm..."

"Hihi~"

A nuzzle and a nose gently touching hers told Alicia that the occupant of the bed beside her was awake as well. Opening her eyes to reveal their bright amber shades, her gaze was met by stunning, crimson red eyes under a fluff of short, snow-white hair that glowed like silver in the morning sun.

"Good morning, beautiful."

Alicia laughed, "I'm wondering if you're saying that to me or to your reflection in my eyes, oh mighty one."

Instead of answering, he ran a hand into her long, dark, raven-coloured locks, "It could be possible that your beauty may over-power all my awesomeness, just this time, you know?"

"Your brother said that wasn't possible, Gilbert," Alicia started, with a smirk. A pout played upon his lips, "And, well, isn't it about time you say your usual, 'Sorry, but it was only just one night,'?"

The nation turned his gaze away, "Well... I wouldn't have told you the truth about myself if it was just that."

Alicia smiled, especially because she knew what he meant, "What do you want me to do, Prussia, if not go home?"

Gilbert shrugged, "How about breakfast?" he asked, pulling her by the waist underneath the sheets, making their already half-clothed bodies touch.

The young brunette laughed, "It's almost 11:30!"

"Brunch?" suggested red-eyed man, "You get to stay as long as you want."

And with a soft kiss from him, she realized that she would.

* * *

Ludwig was already used to waking up and seeing rather scantily clad women appearing from his brother's room. He didn't want to say it to Prussia, especially since he already seems to have an overly-bloated ego, but the albino man does have a way in getting women to smother him. And more often than Ludwig seems to want to, Gilbert gets what he wants – although Ludwig had advised him that if it was companionship that he wanted, that wasn't the way to get it. However, the woman currently in question had come down from Prussia's room wearing only his blue uniform for a shirt (and hopefully underwear underneath), which clothed her until an inch above her knee. From the den, Ludwig could see her coming down the stairs.

"Alicia! Wait up, love," Prussia ran after the girl with a white undershirt and his pants, "I didn't tell you to go down on your own," And he wrapped an arm around her waist as he led her into the dining room, "You should have worn something other than my uniform…"

"Maybe later." She smiled as she saw the German, "Oh, hello."

"This is unusual." Ludwig couldn't help but say as he set his tea down upon the table, "He doesn't usually let anyone stay after sunrise." He looked at the Prussian, "What are you planning?"

"Oh come of it, Lud," Gilbert sat right beside Alicia, smirking, "Can't you see she is different? This is Alicia."

"Alicia?" the young German still couldn't believe it, "So you aren't, um… A…"

At first her brows furrowed, worrying about what it was when she realized that he might mean the occupation of the other women that had been paid to join the Prussian in bed, "Oh no, he didn't pay me to do anything with him. I'm not a _prostitute_," she laughed a little, making the albino beside her turn a bright shade of red, "I work legitimately."

"Do you?" the German was still suspicious, of course, and it was a given, "What as?"

"A teacher," She smiled warmly, "I teach general education in that art school down the street."

_An art school?_ Ludwig wondered, "Wait, but isn't that run by Jews?"

"Yes, it still is," Gilbert was the one to reply, "I was just there the other day."

"But you don't look like you're a Jew." Ludwig was blunt, and luckily, Alicia wasn't the type to immediately take offense, especially since it was evident in her sun-kissed skin, "I don't recall you saying your family name. You are…?"

"Aragón," she said proudly, "Alicia Aragón."

"I see, you're one of Spain's-" but the German cut himself off, eyes wide as he nearly divulged their secret to someone who was only a mere human.

However, much to his surprise, Gilbert looked at Alicia, "You've met him already, right?" he asked her.

The Spaniard nodded, "Yes, he was very jolly. He was in my hometown for a festival, and he was bringing along this handsome, scowling man,"

Crimson eyes met his brother's icy-blue ones, and Ludwig nodded, "That would be Lovino," he said firmly, "But wait, if you're Spanish, what brought you here? I mean, aren't you able to teach in your home-town in Spain?"

"I was an apprentice to the woman who owned the school here," she explained, "She also has a foothold in Spain, because she teaches philosophy, and she said she needed an extra hand so I moved into a small apartment right beside the school to help her. It's quite bare, with little space for extravagance, but I have everything I need in it, so I don't complain." She smiled.

Ludwig seemed pleased. She really wasn't like any of the other women that her brother had brought home. None of the others even bothered to stay for a decent conversation with him, and it seemed like their secret was safe with her. The only worry he had was that she was human. _Human. _And all any nation who's ever loved a human suffered a certain sort of fate. Francis and Jeanne; Arthur and Elizabeth; Catherine and Ivan – all of them got their hearts broken and never repaired at the loss of a human that was so dear to them. His brother had already lost Frederick the Great, and he was an exceptional sort of human. She was quite ordinary, but exceptionally in love with his brother. He couldn't bear to see him lose someone who was so dear to him again.

"So, are you quite done interrogating _mein liebling_, _bruder_?" the Prussian asked the German. Alicia flushed at what she had just been called, much to the albino's amusement.

"_Ja,_" Ludwig rolled his eyes and went back to reading the morning paper and his tea, "The maids might have already made lunch. You two can eat."

Alicia shyly looked back at the Prussian, who leaned in to kiss her lightly upon the cheek, "And by the way," he added, grinning mischievously, "I want you to move in with us as soon as possible."

* * *

Giggles erupted from the staff room about a few weeks later, as Alicia was helped out of her apartment by her co-workers, bringing along her only bag. They seemed to like the idea of her dating a soldier (especially since she couldn't tell them that he was the personification of half their country, East Germany), and since she was young, cheerful and beautiful in their eyes, it seemed like a pleasant match. It greatly helped that the Prussian came up with his car to pick her up himself, and was waiting by the school gate, humming happily to himself.

"He's such a gentleman!" quipped one of her fellow teachers.

"Oh, and very handsome too~" said the head of the Art department.

"Hush, now, all of you." The Headmistress chuckled, "You wanted to show him some artworks before you left, right?" And Alicia nodded, smiling, "Well, here are the keys to the memorabilia, so give him a tour."

And the young Spaniard did just that.

Gilbert coughed nervously as Alicia towed him along into the school happily, earning a couple of stares from some children who studied there. He was wearing the standard uniform, after all, with enough stripes for a General of the Army (of course, he wasn't really a General, but he had to act out the role now, didn't he?), and it wasn't usual that officers would dwell in places such as school yards. Then again, if he only had a child of his own, then he would do just that, regardless of what he was told to do. He did love children. It was only a pity he didn't have any of his own.

"We're here~" Alicia said in a sing-song voice. She opened up double-oak doors and inside were varying works of art – sculptures, molds and paintings – all from the students of the school. Gilbert's jaw dropped, and she looked a little nervous, "Y-You… Do you like it?"

The Prussian had begun to walk around, "Have you ever brought anyone else here?" he asked her.

"You're the first." She replied with a shy smile, "I mean… I saw all the paintings in your house, and I figured you were an aficionado." She looked at a certain painting of a simple house, "Most of these were the samples of the ones who tried to enroll in the school. This one, for example… He was a brilliant child. It was just sad that he wasn't Jewish, or he would have gotten in with his skills."

"Wait." Gilbert processed what she had just said, "You reject students just because they're not Jewish?"

"N-Not anymore," she sighed, "That was about ten years ago or so. I wasn't teaching here yet. When I started, I told them that skill was more important, and that it wasn't fair to students who were exceptional. The Headmistress liked the idea, so about three years ago, we accepted all sorts of students, as well as teachers."

The Prussian seemed proud, "That sounds like something you'd do."

"What?"

"Nothing." He chuckled, "Which puts you at about… Twenty three years old?"

"Close. I'm twenty-five." She grinned mischievously, "Which makes you… What, seven-hundred years too old for me?" she teased.

Gilbert pouted, "Eight-hundred or so," he pulled her by the waist, "Oh come on, nobody knows. I don't really look my age, do I?"

"I don't know~" she teased, giggling a little, "Maybe I should just go for your little brother, hm?"

"Lud's a hundred and twenty," the Prussian's expression now turned serious, "Really, Alicia?"

She knew she must have pressed a button for the albino to change moods that way, so she lovingly wrapped her arms around him, "You know I was joking," she said softly, leaning closer to him, "I don't care about your age. It isn't one of the things that matter to me, and you know it."

"You made it sound otherwise," he said, crimson eyes reflecting worry, "I know I don't age. And you probably will, and I'll have to see you off in a few decades, but…" he gazed into her amber eyes, not knowing what else to say.

"I know," Alicia whispered softly, cupping his cheeks into her hands, "But as long as I spend that time with you, I can ask for nothing else. I… I love you."

A smile began to play upon the Prussian's lips, and fire began to dance in his eyes. It was as though that was the only thing he had been waiting to hear, and he embraced her, "I love you, Alicia." He said slowly, and low, enough only for her to hear, "Stay with me."

He was hardly romantic, Alicia admitted. But Gilbert had a way with words, saying the right ones, truthfully and genuinely. So it wasn't hard for her to be swayed by him, and to succumb to what he wished. He was massively charming, and encouraging, and his words were congruent to his actions.

"Okay." She smiled as her eyes began to drop close because he began to close the gap between them, "I'll stay."

And her decision was sealed with a kiss.

* * *

It was early morning, a week or so again after her decision, and the sun had barely risen to give its golden rays a stretch when the Prussian felt motion upon the bed he slept in. He opened his eyes wearily to find that Alicia had run to the bathroom, and he could hear sounds of regurgitation. At first, he was a little too tired to even move when the facts began to sink in and his eyes snapped open. He got up swiftly and ran to the bathroom to find the young Spaniard washing her face with cold water, "_Liebling_," he said softly, approaching her to rub her back soothingly, "A-Are you all right?"

She shuddered a little, then swallowed thickly, "Well, that's the last time I trust your cooking," she chuckled softly, "The only thing I seemed to have digested was the cake."

Still, concern got Gilbert to bring Alicia to him, caressing her cheeks gently with his sword-calloused hands, "Are you sure? Nothing else?"

"Don't worry, love~" she kissed the albino tenderly upon the cheek, "It's a minor case of indigestion. I'll be quite all right."

And she most certainly was. She took the morning off to help the Prussian around the house (or, rather, mansion). Ludwig had gone to a business trip overseas and was returning later that day. Although Gilbert doesn't say it much, he loves his brother a lot as well, and takes to cleaning and making everything spotless whenever the German was away, only because he knew that he liked it better that way (and he was raised by the albino that way as well). The Prussian had walked her down to the school himself, to be able to bid her good-bye with a soft kiss upon the cheek.

The Headmistress came down to fetch her, and once Gilbert had gone quite a distance away from the school, she looked at the young Spaniard, "When do you plan on telling him?"

Alicia looked up at her superior, "I don't suppose I know what you mean."

"You're blooming," she immediately said, "You've gotten rosier cheeks, a cheerful ambiance, plus I do believe you live with that man now. Do not deny what is clear in my eyes, my dear. I know that you've known."

The Spaniard sighed, then nodded, "I do know," she said, "And I'll tell him soon."

But soon didn't come in a pace that either of the two expected. Perhaps, most events happened too soon. And then some, not soon enough. Because later that afternoon, the skies had turned grey, and several soldiers began marching into the city, bearing flags with a symbol quite familiar to Alicia. They wore a swastika, an ancient symbol, holy to many different religions. Though the flags were red, with a white circle that had the swastika in black at the center. As she was about to walk out of the school yard, teachers pulled her in and bid her to be careful.

"Don't go to school in the next few days." The Headmistress warned her.

"What? Why?" she argued, eyes furrowing, "What about-?"

"It's dangerous," they said, "Far too dangerous. You must stay home, where you will be safe."

_Safe with the soldier_, most of them had added. So she walked down the silent streets, with the soldiers eyeing her as she did. She couldn't understand why it could be dangerous for her to be doing her job. Until a soldier came up to her just as she approached the gates, "_Heil Hitler!"_ he said. Alicia felt a cold shower run down her spine, and the soldier spoke to her in swift German.

"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly, "I…I don't speak…"

"Identification." The soldier repeated in plain English.

She was about to bring out her passport from her bag, when strong arms pulled her into the gates and the soldier paled, like he'd just seen a ghost.

"What do you think you're doing to my wife?" hissed Gilbert, and the soldier bowed an apology, before returning to do his rounds.

Alicia turned bright red and turned to the Prussian, who was half-dragging her indoors, "Wife?" she demanded, "What are you talking about? What's-?!"

But he placed a hand over the Spaniard's mouth, "Let me explain, love." Gilbert said plainly. She nodded. "Look, I said what I had to say to keep you safe. They'll tow you away for questioning otherwise. Germany…" he drew a deep breath, "Germany is about to go to war."

"What?" This time, she slapped his hand away from her mouth, "Gilbert, you're going to-?!"

"It wasn't my idea, please, believe me!" He looked at her desperately, hurt gleaming in his eyes, "I just… I'm not even supposed to be here right now, but I want you to be safe." He sighed and pulled Alicia into a warm embrace, right there at their doorstep, "I can't tell you where I'm going, or what I'll be doing. But I don't want you to leave the house in the next few days."

"Okay."

She was honestly scared now, and Gilbert knew it. So he sighed, and brought her inside, and straight into his quarters, and into one of his closets, "Listen. I want you to stay here in my room for the entire time this week. I've instructed the maids to give you three meals a day," he pulled her into the closet, feeling for a switch, and a second door opened that led to an elevator.

Alicia was astounded, "G-Gil… What is that?"

"I've made a safe house for a reason such as this. Nobody in this house knows it exists, except for me," he smiled a little and caressed her cheek as he pulled her back into the main room, "Now listen very carefully, Alicia. The moment you hear bullets or bombs, or see any sort of danger, I want you to go straight down there. Don't bring anyone, don't bring anything. Keep yourself safe. I'll be back in three days, but a lot can happen then."

Her eyes were strewn with tears and she gripped the front of the Prussian's uniform, "Come back to me, _por favor."_

It was probably the first time he had ever heard her speak her own language in front of him, so Gilbert nodded and pressed a soft kiss upon her forehead. "There will be nowhere else for me to come back to but you."

And with those words, he parted with her temporarily.

She was able to sleep that night, and the eve of the first day. The morning of the second day, was also serene, although windows and doors were shutting down the street, and she could see shops closing. When evening arrived, all was silent. She drifted off into a light sleep, until she heard it: screams. Then, fire. A terrible sight, before bullets and explosions mixed into the plight of those in misery outside their gates. Alicia froze.

There was shuffling in the upper floor, and she could hear plates crashing and people yelling orders harshly in German. She finally snapped out of her stance, and looked at the door: she had remembered to lock it. Then, all of a sudden, there were heavy knocks, which made her run to into the closet.

"_Hallo_? Is anyone inside? We are under orders to escort you-"

She didn't want to hear it. She only wanted Gilbert. And she only trusted Gilbert.

Fear coursing through her veins, she flipped the light switch into the elevator, remembered to close all doors, before she went down to her husband's secret room. The moment she opened the elevator doors, her eyes widened. The room was filled with sculptures, photographs, paintings… All pieces of art, but from places she hadn't even heard of.

"Lost art," she breathed out, approaching a painting when, suddenly, something exploded from the surface and she saw the ceilings give off powder and the lights flickered.

Tears filled her eyes as she ran into a corner, hugging her knees and looking around vigilantly. She knew that nobody should be able to find her. Not there. Not when Gilbert was the only one who knew of that location.

However, as more screams echoed above her, she knew that there was chaos happening. And with the bullets she heard fired, and the cries of the people – she hugged her knees closer, and buried her head into it, tears streaming down her face. She wanted safety. She wanted security. But most of all, she wanted to just be in the Prussian's embrace. Nothing more, and nothing less. But he was fighting in that god-forsaken war. And there seemed to be nothing she could do about it.

"A bit more," she told herself, "He'll come back. He'll… He'll come back…" She repeated it again and again to herself, hoping even she could believe it.

She didn't notice that she had fallen asleep through the turmoil that had happened in the streets of Germany. Not until strong arms carried her, and still, she was muttering to herself, "He'll come back… He'll come back."

"Shh. I'm back, _liebling._" And a soft kiss upon her forehead made her eyes flutter open.

"… Gilbert?" she hoped it was true.

"Yeah?" He was carrying her in his arms, back up the lift and into his room where he set her down upon the bed, "Are you all right? Did you get hurt?" he asked worriedly.

Alicia shook her head, "N-No… But Gil, what-?"

The door burst open and several soldiers lined up facing them, and pointing their artillery at them. Out of instinct, Gilbert pushed Alicia behind him, as though covering her with his own body and scowling at the soldiers, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Don't blame them, they are following orders. Yours has just been overridden."

A man, whom Alicia only knew as the Führer, walked calmly into the room, and the Prussian's breathing began to hitch. They were outnumbered, and terribly out-gunned.

"You are both under arrest!" a soldier said.

"You can't do that!" Gilbert shouted, but the Führer chuckled.

"She is obviously not Aryan. But neither are you, now, are you… _Prussia_?" the albino's fists clenched.

However, there were heavy footsteps thundering towards them, and all of a sudden:

"Führer! I beg to disagree! You cannot impose this!" Ludwig had run into the room, causing the soldiers to part, but their aim never leaving Gilbert and Alicia's direction, "You cannot arrest the girl or my bro-" He tried to stop at mid-speech, but it was no good. He had known.

"Interesting." Eyes now turned to Gilbert and Alicia, "Well, since he is my homeland, I'd like to give him the honour." He turned to Ludwig, "So, who shall you save? The charming young Spanish lady, or your brother?"

Before Ludwig could open his mouth, the two immediately pointed at each other:

"Save her!"

"Save him!"

"What, no!" Gilbert turned to his brother, "I'm immortal. You know that, I won't die! Save Alicia, _bitte_."

"But you'll get hurt, and you suffer too!" her eyes turned to the Prussian, "I can't let you go through that. I can't. I don't want to see you suffer more. Besides, I'm going to die anyway."

"But, Alicia-"

"I'm sorry, _bruder_," Ludwig started to say, wincing at his own decision, "… But I can't let anything bad happen to you. Please, take her away."

"What?! No!"

But the Prussian was torn away from her, and tears streamed down her face. It was as though she knew what would be happening, what could come, and fear was dancing in her eyes.

The Führer released an amused chuckle, _"You don't belong here anyway,"_ he had muttered in his native tongue, before he led the soldiers out.

She continuously reassured him, even as she was being forced away, "I'll be okay… I'll be fine."

And without another word, the door was shut, leaving only Gilbert and Ludwig alone together.


	2. Epilogue

**A/N: **Also, admittedly, this part of the story is not proofread or edited. I'm just too tired to do that at this hour. So, I sincerely hope that it's quite all right. Enjoy this latter part.

(Edit) Well, _now_, it has been fixed. Or, rather, attempted to be fixed. I'm not a hundred percent sure if the pacing got better, but I tried. Enjoy~

* * *

It wasn't like she was going to do heavy labour, no. She was in a holding center. A small cell amidst several others, where Jews were held for crimes they did not commit, but for being born who they are born as. It was much worse than her little apartment, barely with any essentials, just a hard bed with a pillow, a sink and a table with two chairs. They were escorted to bathrooms upon request. And upon orders, she was being fed three meals a day, and given water whenever it was necessary for her.

But that was just her.

The rest of the people in cells next to hers were being starved. Or harassed and picked on. Some suffer both. And during some nights, she could hear soldiers have their way with a couple of them, and fear was in her heart that she could be next. What would stop soldiers if she couldn't stop them, right? She was powerless, and she was downright **_terrified_**. She repeated the words she had first said to herself when the war broke out only a few days earlier: _he'll come back, he'll come back, he'll come back._

As though an answer to her prayers, in the next morning, the person who had brought in her food was her beloved, white-haired, red-eyed Prussian, and he looked like he had cried even more than she did.

"Morning, love."

"Gilbert." She said his name breathlessly, and in relief, and with as much love as she could utter, "You came for me."

"How could I not?" He set down a tray on the only table inside her cell, opened up a chair for her to sit into and pushed it lightly in before sitting on the chair in front of her. The act made her chuckle lightly.

"After all that's happened, you still are the same," she smiled a little, although her face showed paleness, and her sunken eyes told him that she hadn't gotten sleep.

"Just because the world is changing, doesn't mean I should too," Gilbert smiled and pushed her meal towards her. It was a full meal, with an appetizer and chocolate cake for dessert, most likely baked by the Prussian himself. He was quiet as she ate, before he said, "… I'll get you out, I promise."

"Gil, you'll-"

"I'll already get into trouble by just being here," he said with a small laugh, "I'd rather push it to my limit."

She smiled at the thought of getting out. But then, it faltered when she thought of the cost of her leaving. People would be dying. In those cells next to hers, people would be suffering. And if Gilbert does get her out, he would be condemned to treason, and would suffer as well. So she shook her head lightly, and tears began to stream her face.

"I can't do that to you."

The Prussian now stood and knelt on the floor beside her chair, taking her hand in both of his, "Don't give up on me, love." He pleaded, "I want you and only you, even if we don't have eternity. I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I promise I'll be strong enough for both of us. I'm not a great nation as I always thought I'd be, and I don't have that many people believing in me like old Prussians do, but I'm ready to give you anything, and I'll do anything, just to get you out."

His little speech got tears falling down her face faster, and she hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand. Then, she attempted to choke her sobs as she said the next few words, causing Gilbert's eyes to widen:

"Our child would have been Prussian."

* * *

"I can't believe you!"

Ludwig groaned. He'd been trying to do the paperwork for both himself and his big brother before he led his soldiers to war, and that was certainly a nice way of being repaid. It was the first words of his beloved elder brother the moment he got home and into the study in their house, and boy, did it get his blood boiling. He'd grown tired of being the understanding one. "You wouldn't understand." growled the German.

"Hell yeah, I don't understand!" argued the Prussian, crimson eyes burning with anger as he faced his brother at a stance, "I already told you to save her! I could handle anything they could give me, I won't die! But you just had to-"

"Yes, I _had_ to!" Ludwig shouted. The albino was usually the more level-headed one, so he knew this would be a very heated argument between them, "She's human! She'll die anyway."

"She would, but she could have had more days than you sentenced her to!" Gilbert continued to fight for it, "She could have had decades, years. She could have graced us with her presence. She's charming, patient, understanding and kind. You know that I can't find someone who'd put up with me for this long, what more love me?" At these words, the German clenched his fists, "… I love her, Lud! Did that ever cross your mind?! I love her! And now…" His voice began to hitch, "… I don't know what to do without her."

"You don't know what to do without her?!" demanded the German, "You live! You eat, you breathe, you take more steps forward. _Mein gott_, brother!" Ludwig had never been so frustrated in his entire almost two hundred years of existence, "She's just one woman, and a human at that! Don't turn yourself into the people we know who broke themselves because of a loss that had been pre-destined for all of us!"

The Prussian's breathing got deeper. His eyes shone in pain. It was evident that he cared about the young Spaniard so much, and somehow, it got on Ludwig's nerves even more. He knew what this feeling was. He knew what it was called. But somehow, he couldn't resist his jealous rage. Not when his brother was so blind to the fact that he'd only been trying to do what he thought was best for the both of them. After all, Gilbert was the only thing he knew for a long time. Italy and Japan were his only other friends. Where would he be if he lost them?

"Did you ever think of what **_I _**would have done without you?!" before he could stop himself, Ludwig let the words loose, and immediately, his brother's brows furrowed.

"What… What are you talking about?" Gilbert was now curious and worried.

Ludwig sighed, and sat down on his desk, running a hand desperately through his slicked, blond hair, "I… I know you love her. I know she was different," he said quietly, "I see the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. But… I love you." He looked up at his brother, "After… After what has happened to you, being reduced to East Prussia after being one of the greatest Kingdoms in the world, I know that you aren't as strong as you used to be, and I'm scared that if you get too attached to her…" He couldn't continue.

"You think I'll leave you for that reason?" Gilbert asked his brother. Ludwig didn't answer.

The Prussian sighed, "Look." He cupped his brother's face rather harshly, somewhat playfully, and met his gaze, "You're my brother. I love you. That's a given." Ludwig nodded in understanding here. "But just because I love Alicia, it doesn't mean I love you less. I love you the way the stars love the moon, or the way a mother loves her child, because they should never be seen too far apart from each other. It's a constant love." A played upon the albino's lips, "But my love for Alicia, is the way the oceans meet the shore, or how angels fall from heaven for humans, or the way the earth forever looks for the sky. She's the other half of me. I can't deny the feeling that's settling in my heart. And I know that some nations, like France, have seen their beloved live again and walk the earth, but I don't know if she'll reincarnate and remember me when she does."

Ludwig looked torn still, but he was allowing his brother's words to sink in, "S-So…" he started to say, "You're not choosing between us, but both of us?"

"I don't think I have to choose." Gilbert said with a small smile.

The German seemed relieved but he pulled his brother into an embrace nonetheless.

"… We're going to get into big trouble, you know that."

"I know that." The albino smirked, "I'm ready for it."

Ludwig let go of his brother, and sighed, "We can't just save her, you know. We'd have to bring the rest."

Gilbert nodded to that too, "Yes, I am also quiet aware of that. Maybe the resistance will like us this time." He joked, but the German didn't seem pleased.

"It'll be very dangerous." Added the blond, making sure his brother knew what would happen.

"Danger? Hah!" He laughed hollowly, "Try getting burned at the stake first, then talk to me about danger."

The German cringed at the thought, "Still. I never thought you'd do this for a woman. We aren't Romantics." Ludwig's icy-blue eyes looked at him, searching for an answer.

At that moment, Gilbert realized that he had to tell his brother. It shouldn't be a secret.

"Alicia is pregnant, Lud. She's carrying my child."

* * *

_"Everybody in."_

A day after Gilbert visited her, everyone was brought into a large hall. It was worse since Alicia had started to feel nauseous, first at the feeling of heat in her body, but also from the amount of people who were in the hall with her. She was joined by several children and mothers, and when she threw up in a corner, they were the ones in concern for what could happen to her. It wasn't a place where a woman carrying a child should be placed. She was starting to look weak. When they were all given loaves of bread to eat and water to drink, some mothers handed her pieces of theirs, because they knew she was feeding more than one person within her body, and some children offered to pass their waters to her, because her body was burning up. And she was eternally grateful to all of them.

However, that night, they could hear screams from a distance. Shots were fired, and cars revved up.

Mothers were cradling their children with all their might, and Alicia found herself being huddled into a circle, as though being protected, when the doors that were supposedly locked from the outside burst open. At first, only moving shadows were in sight. Then fire in the background, and then several raised arms, but the soldiers were not facing them.

Then, a soldier walked in. With snow-white hair, and crimson eyes, "You've all got to go out now."

Not one dared to move. He didn't speak in their native tongue. They were all still terrified, and didn't move an inch. Not until Alicia stood up, "… Gilbert?"

A smirk played upon the Prussian's lips, "I told you I'll get you out."

One look at the people she shared the room with and they were ushered out.

"You'll be met by resistance members and assisted by each one. Some are Italian, others German soldiers," explained the albino, "You'll be carried into a safe-house by three separate trucks on the other side of the land. Stay in the shade, and stay together." He instructed them briefly, like he would his own men, "You," he looked at Alicia, eyes strewn with worry. "Come with me."

And they ran stealthily across the land, "When all of this is through," the Prussian said, shooting a nearby soldier in the leg, making Alicia wince as she got dragged off the opposite direction, "I hope you still stay-" he made her duck as bullets were fired at them, and then stopped when some of their allies threw what looked like knives from behind, "-with me." He chuckled lightly before taking her hand, waving with gratitude at whoever protected them and kept running across the lawn. They were nearly there, and a car was waiting, with a good-looking Italian soldier waving a flag at them. "So…" Gilbert was panting, and Alicia was sweating and nervous and terrified, "Marry me."

All of a sudden, the war didn't seem so terrifying. And even though something exploded behind them, she felt more exhilarated than ever. Although she was still blatantly scared, with Gilbert holding her hand, she thought it could get better, "Yeah," she breathed out, running with all her might but smiling as they approached the Italian at the end of the lawn, "I will."

_"Stop! Or we'll shoot!" _

Gilbert froze.

"I'm sorry." The next voice was Ludwig's, and the Prussian cringed. They got his little brother.

Alicia looked up and saw that the cars had begun to drive off. There was a good ten meters to run before they can get to them. And they were surrounded. There was nowhere else to go.

"Put your gun down, and put your hands behind your head."

But Gilbert didn't move an inch.

The Spaniard's eyes met Ludwig's in the dim light. Both of them had fear in their eyes. They knew he could get shot, and get hurt. And it even looked to Ludwig like the albino was ready to get hurt. The blond, on the other hand, was bound by at least five soldiers, still struggling to keep him still, and one of them began counting.

"One." Gilbert's grip tightened upon his gun. "Two." She could hear several other guns being raised their direction.

"Three."

"No!"

And before he could do anything about it, the next thing Gilbert saw was Alicia falling to the ground, and blood staining her chest. He had been knocked down by her, and Ludwig had knocked out half the soldiers that had caught them, but she began to cough out, making the Prussian terrified beyond belief.

"No… No, no, no!" He pressed a hand over the wound, praying to help stop it from bleeding as the she began to cough out that red liquid, her amber eyes losing focus.

"I… I didn't want you…" She tried to say, but tears filled crimson eyes as Gilbert shook his head.

"I'm immortal." He said, tears falling from his eyes. He knew she meant well. But he didn't want to lose her.

"Doesn't mean you can't feel pain."

* * *

Gilbert's eyes snapped open. _A dream_. It was a dream. **_A terrible dream. _**He tried to calm himself down, attempting to bring his hands up to rub his tired eyes, when he realized that his hands were bound in chains.

All of a sudden, the temperature in the room was ice-cold. With every breath he took, he saw a puff of white smoke rising from his mouth. He looked at himself and found himself half-clothed, and thinly wrapped. He looked up and found the night sky, and snow fall, and that he was waist-deep in snow in a temperature unbearable, even for him. He shuddered, knowing just where he was. He could feel his skin numbing, attempting to retain whatever warmth there was left in his body. He tried to free himself from the metal chains, tried to pry himself away from the frozen prison, when he heard a high-pitched scream from somewhere in the house, with the lights flickering open. Then, crying. He heard children crying.

_Wait. Children?_

Just then, a tall, looming figure tossed something out of the house. _Someone_ out of the house, out of the very front door.

The snow began to be tainted a vibrant shade of red, and Gilbert's face was drained of colour. Eyes wide, he watched as the woman he loved was dragged closer towards him, a trail of blood from a slit down her neck making her tears dry in the ice-cold weather.

The Prussian could barely stand the sight of it. He couldn't believe it, "… Alicia?"

Amber eyes lacked luster as they looked up at him one last time, "Gil…"

He could take any sort of pain. He'd rather take any other form of physical pain. Just not this. Not with her blood staining the freshly white snow, and her eyes in tears with her own helplessness. He couldn't stand to see her die. Not her. He'd rather take her place.

"G…Gil…"

* * *

"Gil… Gil! Gilbert! Gil!"

"N-No… Please don't, no… Don't hurt her, _please_…"

"Gil!"

One last call of his name and the Prussian woke up with a start, tears streaming from his eyes. She flicked the lights open and Alicia looked at him worriedly. The moment he set his eyes on her, however, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, and protectively, "Oh my God." He breathed out.

Alicia looked slightly shocked, but embraced him nonetheless, "Gil?" she closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, "Wh-What happened, love?"

"It's a dream. It was all just a dream." He said softly, burying his head in the crook of her neck.

She gently caressed his hair, "Yes, love. Whatever it was. It's just a dream. Nothing can harm you here."

"Or, harm you." He pulled away from her and held her firmly by the shoulders, "All right. What's your name?"

"What?" she looked confused, "Alicia." She replied shortly, "Alicia Beilshmidt. I'm your wife. Is this a trick question?"

He chuckled a little, "No, I know that," he said, kissing her lightly on the forehead, "What I meant was, what did you call yourself before?"

"Alicia Fernandez-Carriedo," she replied with a raised eyebrow, "Or, Alicia Aragon."

"No, even before that." He wanted to make sure. He didn't want to be dreaming again. He wanted to make sure he was living the life that he knew he had.

"_Reino de Aragón_," And with that statement, Gilbert embraced her again. They were both personifications. He was still the old, dissolved nation of Prussia, and she was still Aragon, Spain.

"Ah, I'm glad it's you. And you're here."

With that, tiny hands grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, "_Vati_, are you okay?" And a little girl, with golden blonde hair and bright amber eyes looked up at him, making his grin even wider.

"Azula." He picked up his daughter, "Yes, I'm fine now."

Then, a little boy with black hair and icy-blue eyes, wore determined expression as he waddled towards them with a glass full of water between both his little hands. He handed it to his father, who nodded proudly at him, "_Danke_, Dietrich," He took a gulp and set it to their side-table, "I'm sorry. I must have scared all of you."

But one look at Alicia beside him brought the life back into him. He was out of his nightmares, she had brought him out. Once again, it almost looked like she had saved him. Even in his dreams, all he's ever wanted to do was protect her, do something for her, return what it is she had given him. But it seemed like it had been her all along who had put all her energy into being the stronger one, for both of them. And that was something Gilbert will forever love her for, because not once had she ever acted like a damsel in distress. She was a fighter. And he loved her for it. And she fought time with him to have the most beautiful children in the world.

He didn't lose what he thought he did. Life was good. All was well. He knew that it was finally okay to love and be loved in return.

* * *

**A/N: **Pacing is slightly better now, and I am proud of my day's work. Hey, seven thousand words in two days isn't so bad. Good night!


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